The culmination of the season was bittersweet for Linfield basketball. Both teams encountered Pacific Lutheran University in a final game on the Lutes home court in Tacoma, Wash., on Feb. 19.

The Wildcats balanced a loss with a win at PLU. The final scores were 64-58 and 71-68 for the women’s and men’s teams, respectively.

Following two shutout seasons, the women’s team achieved a 13-11 overall win-loss record with a first-year coaching staff. Head coach Robin Potera-Haskins led the ’Cats against George Fox University, Lewis & Clark College and Whitman College — some of the league’s top competitors.

The men’s team was predicted to take second place in the Northwest Conference but tallied nine wins and 16 losses total. The men ended conference in seventh place with five conference wins and 11 losses.

At the season’s start Doty predicted a championship contention with Whitworth University.

“I am proud of our team,” head coach Larry Doty said. “Although we did not accomplish our season goals, the team worked hard all season long and prepared to win each game.”

Team goals may have been easier to achieve had the team not lost four of last season’s starters. Still, defense and rebounding proved to be key success factors regardless of the number of returners.

Potera-Haskins had seven players return and had an enthusiastic bench. She rotated the players in and out of the point position and capitalized on the team’s freshman talent, her own philosophy and a new system.

Advancing to the conference tournament was the overall objective, but not reaching that aim does not detract from the signs of improvement and turnaround exhibited this season.

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Septembre Russell/Copy chief
Septembre Russell can be reached at linfieldreviewcopy@gmail.com.

The men’s basketball team suffered five straight Northwest Conference losses. The latest one came Feb. 11, when the ’Cats traveled to the University of Puget Sound and lost 57-73.

But the team bounced back with a win against the Pacific University Boxers during a game on Feb. 12.

Defeating the Boxers during the two teams’ first match-up in back in January was no easy task. The game went into double overtime, and the ’Cats pulled off a win by a two-point margin, 94-92.

Last weekend, however, the ’Cats needed only the two halves of regulation to beat the Boxers.

“We played a lot better, and it was at home so that helped,” senior guard Ryan Lobdell said.

The score remained close through the first half and ended with an exclamation point from junior guard Zach Anderson. He hit a three-point, buzzer-beating shot that gave the ’Cats a 30-25 lead.

The ’Cats offense was boosted by double-digit performances from four players.

Freshman guard Michael Moreland and junior guard Daniel Teater each scored 11 points. Anderson finished the game with 17 points, 12 of which came from his 4-5 three-point shooting. Leading the ’Cats in scoring and rebounding was senior center K.C. Wiser, who combined 20 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double.

The final score was 76-65. The win improved the ’Cats’ record to 9-14 overall and 5-9 in conference play.
The basketball season will come to a close this weekend. The ’Cats will take on George Fox University at 8 p.m. on Feb. 18 at home.

The team’s three seniors, Lobdell, Wiser and Sergio Rosario will play their last game at home.
Wiser said his final week of basketball has been bittersweet.

“It has been a constant in my life since third grade. It’s just a very surreal feeling that it will be over and that four years have gone by so quickly,” he said.

Lobdell said that things haven’t caught up with him yet. The focus, however, remains on the games.

“We need to take care of the ball so that we can get more possessions and take more shots,” Lobdell said about this weekend’s games.

Wiser added that the team’s goals are the same ones they’ve had all season: “Win both games, and keep getting better.”
The ’Cats will wrap up the season at 8 p.m. on Feb. 19 at Pacific Lutheran University.

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Rae Smith/Staff reporter
Rae Smith can be reached at linfieldreviewsports@gmail.com.

The Wildcats baseball team knocked its first four games out of the park in Anthem, Ariz. on Feb. 10-13 for the Arizona Classic.

The event opened against the University of La Verne Leopard.

Linfield’s senior Dustin Smith scored the Wildcats’ first point in the first inning after senior Cole Bixenman hit a single while Smith was on third base.

Neither team would score again until Linfield’s fourth at bat, when Wildcat sophomore Clayton Truex scored off of a single hit by senior Kevin Coleman.

La Verne scored one point later during the seventh inning to end the game 2-1 for Linfield.

The ’Cats played against the Texas Concordia University Tornados for their second match. This high-scoring game ended 17-4 for the ’Cats.

“Our offense exploded,” freshman Zachary Brandon said.

In the final two games, one against the California Lutheran University Kingsmen and the other against University of Texas-Dallas Comets, the Wildcats dominated offensively.

Linfield defeated the Kingsmen 10-7 and the Comets, 12-1.

“Our team was able to click early, and I think that’s why we did so well,” Brandon said.

The team will play a tournament in Lewiston, Idaho this weekend. The Wildcats will compete against the following schools: Western Oregon University St. Martins University and Lewis-Clark State College.

“We’re going up against some really good teams, and this will help us get ready for the rest of our season,” Brandon said.
Linfield’s next home game will be at noon on Feb. 26 against the Oregon Institute of Technology.

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Kaylyn Peterson/For the Review
Kaylyn Peterson can be reached at linfieldreviewsports@gmail.com.

The women’s basketball team is on a high after winning its last three games. The women now prepare for their final weekend with one game on Feb. 18 at home against George Fox University and one at Pacific Lutheran University on Feb. 19.

Both games start at 6 p.m. The Wildcats have the weekend to pull themselves out of a 50-50 season with seven wins and seven losses and maintain the winning streak.

The men’s basketball team defeated Whitman College 72-62 on Dec. 3 but was clobbered by Whitworth University on Dec. 4. Linfield’s record stands at 3-2 following the loss.
In the game against Whitman, senior forward Sergio Rosario scored 24 points on 6-11 shooting, leading a balanced attack in which three Wildcats scored in double digits.
Senior center K.C. Wiser said that the team’s depth was its strength this season.
“We have a lot of guys with talent, and everyone can contribute in a lot of different ways,” he said.
Whitman held a one-point lead following a first-half wrestling match in which neither team shot more than 40 percent.
The ’Cats defense only allowed 27 percent shooting by Whitman in the first half.
Senior guard Ryan Lobdell converted two free throws with 10 minutes remaining in the second half to give Linfield a 52-47 lead.
Junior guard Daniel Teater chipped in a 3-pointer and two free throws to give Linfield a 57-50 advantage with less than 10 minutes left in the game.
The ’Cats lead was extended to nine following a dunk by junior forward Zach Spencer. The team’s offense floundered during the next 3 minutes and they didn’t manage to make a single score.
Whitman took advantage of Linfield’s offensive drought, closing the gap to five points with 6 minutes remaining in the game.
With the lead shrinking, the ’Cats responded with a run of their own.
A score from Wiser finished five straight points from Linfield, pushing the lead to 64-54 with only 3 minutes left in the game.
A resilient Missionaries team fought back, with a 3-pointer from sophomore guard Peter Clark and three points from junior guard Brandon Shaw, pulling Whitman to within four.
Linfield was able to hold off the late Whitman run by converting its free throws. The ’Cats made eight consecutive free throws in the last minute, sealing the 72-62 win.
The ’Cats were later declawed by the visiting Whitworth team. The Pirates dominated in a 57-90 rout.
Linfield’s offense started the Whitworth game out cold with a 3-20 offering. The ’Cats shot 21 percent in the first half compared with Whitworth’s 34 percent.
Both teams found some offensive success in the second half, with Linfield improving its shooting to 54 percent. However, the ’Cats allowed Whitworth to shoot at a 57 percent clip in the second half.
The ’Cats couldn’t contain senior Whitworth guard Mike Taylor, who lit up Linfield for 14 points in the first half. He finished the game with 20 points.
Rosario’s jumper cut the lead to 4-6 with 16 minutes left in the first half, but Whitworth closed the half on a devastating 10-33 run.
Wiser contributed a team-high 13 points and seven rebounds for the ’Cats. He was the only Linfield player to crack double-figure scoring.
The ’Cats lost the rebound battle by a wide margin, getting out-rebounded 27-40. Wiser lead the team with seven rebounds.
Whitworth handily won the free throw battle, making 22 more shots out of 26 more attempts.
Despite the loss, Wiser said he is confident in the team’s abilities. The team believes it can compete for the championship, and
Wiser said he knows it will take a disciplined work-ethic.
“It will take everyone buying into our goals and playing the way we know we can,” he said.
The ’Cats play Simpson College at home on Dec. 10 at 8 p.m.

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Matt Bayley/Staff reporter
Matt Bayley can be reached at linfieldreviewsports@gmail.com.

Women’s basketball battled against Whitman College in its first Northwest Conference game on Dec. 3.
A tough Whitman defense held Linfield to a mere 37 shooting percentage, resulting in a loss for the Wildcats, but the ’Cats won against Whitworth University on Dec. 4.
The ’Cats averaged 85.3 points per game during their three-game winning streak on Nov. 21-23 in California but fell short against the Missionaries, 55-65, on Dec. 3.
Throughout the game, Whitman pressured Linfield into 13 turnovers, which resulted in 15 points for the Missionaries.
Freshman post Kaely Maltman tallied a double-double against the Missionaries, scoring 13 points and 10 rebounds. Junior guard Gretchen Owens put up the team-high score of 24 points, while Whitman senior Jenele Peterson scored a team-high 17 points.
“Everyone came out strong on Friday, but we didn’t maintain that intensity the entire 40 minutes,” Maltman said. “We made some defensive mistakes and didn’t get some key rebounds.”
Despite their loss to Whitman, the ’Cats came out strong to defeat
the Pirates on Dec. 4. Since 2007, Linfield has been unsuccessful against Whitworth, so the win broke a six-game losing streak.
The Linfield defense kept Whitworth down to only 34 points throughout the game, and a 14-0 run for the ’Cats in the first half was enough to ensure their win.
Owens and Maltman together scored 34 of the team’s 55 total points and snatched 17 rebounds. Performances from junior guard Abby Olbrich and senior guard Stephanie Fennimore contributed to the long-awaited win.
“[Against Whitworth], we were able to refocus and bounce back from the tough loss with high energy,” Maltman said. “It was a great team win.”
With an overall record of 4-3 (1-1 in the NWC), the Wildcats aim to surpass their preseason ranking of seventh place.
The team is looking forward to competing against top-ranked George Fox University on Jan. 22 and challenging Whitman again in late January.
“I am excited to see how the rest of the season plays out,” Maltman said. “We have an amazing group of girls and coaches with very high potential.”
Next, Linfield will host Simpson University at 6 p.m. on Dec. 10. The ’Cats compete against Lewis & Clark College on Jan. 4 in Portland.

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Katey Barger/Staff reporter
Katey Barger can be reached at linfieldreviewsports@gmail.com.

Men’s basketball split the first two games of the season, defeating Trinity University on Nov. 21, and losing to Corban College on Nov. 23. The team pulled together for a win over The Evergreen State College on Nov. 30.
The ’Cats opened their season strong, edging Trinity for a 69-57 win in Spokane, Wash.
Led by 23 points from senior center K.C. Wiser, the ’Cats recovered from a slow start.
With less than 10 minutes remaining in the half and down by 11 points, the ’Cats pounced. Scores from Wiser, senior guard Ryan Lobdell and sophomore forward Zach Meikle composed a 14-3 run to cut Trinity’s lead to one.
The ’Cats struggled to find momentum until the second half. Trailing 45-50, Wiser nailed a three-pointer and closed the gap to two points.
Wiser’s shot ignited a 20-2 run by the ’Cats, giving them a 65-52 lead with 52 seconds remaining.
Sophomore forward Zach Anderson credited the team’s defense with the big run.
“We started to play more aggressively on defense, which kind of propelled our offense,” he said. “Defense has been a focus for us.”
Linfield’s defense held Trinity to just 25 points and 26 percent shooting in the second half. The ’Cats allowed a paltry 33 percent shooting for the game.
Anderson said that smart shots and ball control were key on the offensive end.
“We turned the ball over a lot at first, but once we stopped doing that, things got rolling,” he said. “We have a lot of guys who are good at shooting and that helps us out. We’ve also had good shot selection in our two wins.”
The undefeated Corban Warriors erased a 12-point, first-half deficit to hand the ’Cats their first loss of the season, 81-84.
Corban took advantage of a large free throw disparity, sinking 30 free throws to Linfield’s 10.
The ’Cats, however, struggled to capitalize on their free throws. They finished 10-20, good for only 50 percent. Anderson said the team’s defensive and free throw difficulties ultimately cost them the game.
“On defense, we kind of fouled and reached too much,” Anderson said. “We fouled a lot and put them to the line a lot, which hurt us.”
A three-pointer from freshman guard Josh Rodrigues gave the ’Cats a 41-29 lead in the first half. The Linfield bench provided a spark, outscoring the Corban reserves 19-4.
The ’Cats entered halftime with a nine-point cushion following a three-pointer from junior forward Zach Spencer.
Corban jumped on Linfield after the break, putting together a 14-4 run. Junior guard Jonathan Ramirez scored on a layup, which put Corban ahead for good at 51-50.
The Warrior lead was extended to 73-65 with six minutes left in the game, but the ’Cats responded with an 8-1 spurt in which Wiser scored six of his game-high 22 points.
Senior guard Ryan Lobdell trimmed the deficit to one with 34 seconds remaining. The Warriors made all four of their ensuing free throws as they held onto the win.
The ’Cats earned their second win of the season in a 97-77 rout of Evergreen on Nov. 30.
Anderson and senior forward Sergio Rosario contributed 18 points and nine rebounds apiece on a combined 15-20.
Wiser led the team with a career-high 37 points on 14-23 shooting. He scored 19 points in the first half,
helping the ’Cats build a 14 point lead.
“We have a lot of tall, lengthy players,” he said. “Our guards are tall, so we figured crashing the boards would be a good thing for us. Our overall height as a team is pretty good.”
The ’Cats hold a 2-1 record heading into their Dec. 3 matchup with Whitman College. The team also plays rival Whitworth University on Dec. 4. Both games are at home at 8 p.m.

Matt Bayley/Staff reporter
Matt Bayley can be reached at linfieldreviewsports@gmail.com.

The women’s basketball team traveled to California Nov. 21-23. The ’Cats won all three of their games against University of La Verne, the California Institute of Technology and Pomona-Pitzer College.
Before that, Linfield hosted the Chapman University Panthers on Nov. 19. The Wildcats were down by 11 points with less than nine minutes of play remaining but went on an 11-3 spree over Chapman to take the lead.
Junior guard Gretchen Owens led the team during the run, scoring six of the 11 come-back points. The Panthers took the lead again with two quick baskets, which put them ahead by four points.
Owens, in an attempt to keep the Wildcats in the game, scored two more points in the last eight seconds of the fourth quarter. But Linfield fouled with two seconds remaining. The Panthers sealed the win with two free-throws and a final score of 71-67.
“As a team, we are working on improving our defensive intensity as well as our rebounding efforts,” junior post Lindsey Gummersall said. “If we can stop teams on defense and maintain possession of the ball, we will be in a great position to score and win some games.”
Linfield traveled down to California on Nov. 21 to take on La Verne. The ’Cats had an early nine-point advantage and took control of the rest of the game.
Four players, Owens, juniors Chrissy Baumgartner and Micha Pringle and freshman Kaely Maltman, scored in the double-figures: Owens was the top scorer with 20 points, Pringle scored 19, Maltman, and Baumgartner scored 16 and 11, respectively. A final score of 87-63 marked their season’s first win.
“La Verne was a tough game,” freshman guard Breanna Ribeiro said. “It was the first time I saw the team come together and use all of our strengths.”
Linfield competed against the Cal-Tech Beavers on Nov. 22. Strong defense and accurate shooting brought the Wildcats another win. The ’Cats had a 60 percent shooting average and forced 29 Beaver turnovers.
Baumgartner was the ’Cats leading scorer with 16, and Pringle had a whopping eight steals throughout her game play. The team’s performance led to their win of 92-56.
The Wildcats battled against Pomona-Pitzer during the last night of their trip. Linfield began with solid play and an unbeatable defense, which quickly shut down the Sagehens. The ’Cats were ahead by 20 points at halftime and continued to hold their lead through the rest of the game. Eleven three-pointers contributed to a third-straight win, 77-51.
First-year head coach Robin Potera-Haskins has connected with the team, Gummersall said.
“The team and I have fully embraced coach [Potera] Haskins,” she said. “She is supportive of everyone on the team and has really pushed us to improve our game as a team as well as individuals.”
With a preseason record of 3-2, the Wildcats anticipate the first league game against Whitman College at home on Dec. 3.
“If we can protect our house, that will be a really good start for us,” Ribeiro said. “I’m looking forward to the team meshing and creating some good upsets.”

Katey Barger/Staff reporter
Katey Barger can be reached at linfieldreviewsports@gmail.com.